Ætherlynn Sunrunner
by Ashta Nightrayne
Summary: A short story of the life of Ætherlynn Sunrunner. What she was like before the Scourge attacked her homeland. What happened before it.     note if some lore isn't right then I apologizes.


Many years ago, before the city you see today lays in ruins, was once a wondrous city. The city was secluded from the world. Filled with scholars, street performers, and magic. A family lived in the city. Close. Always together in the happy little life they had. An older Gentleman and two well mannered women. Their life was filled with magic and happiness, even with the late passing of their mother and father. The Gentleman was a fierce warrior that worked day and night to protect his two sisters and the fair people of the city. The youngest sister was working to fulfill her work as Warlock. And the middle child trained daily in the Spire to become a Priest, Polar opposite of her little sister.

At the time, those who served as a Priest were not allowed to be in a relationship in the fear of losing their pure ability to heal with the Holy Light. Though she had no interest in men or women at the time, do busy in her studies to even thing of having a relationship. Coming home to make sure the house was clean before she passed out from learning. A flaw she had from time to time, in the Spire was making a mess in the library, and often times of the house with the books she would bring home.

Like many other Sin'dori females, another name for Blood Elf, the Priestess was very lean and skinny. She is small in frame, but strong in her beliefs. Like many of the others in her race, she has a strong dislike of the Trolls. Very untrusting of Trolls, she has very few friends with them. One named Jai, that she trusts, though at this time it is unclear to even her why she trusted this troll with her life.

By the time the Second War came, she traveled with several others to help with the Allainces that took place. Healing those that needed to be healed or they would have surely passed in battle. Though with all she could to help, many did die in the war. One day, while out to help her wounded, she felt the cold steal slice into her skin. Right into her side, tearing at the flesh till it stopped mid-way to make sure she bleed out. Suffer for aidding the enemy. Fallen in battle, she did everything she could to save herself above the other she was saving. What good was she if she was dead? Selfish, maybe, but she managed to heal herself a great deal before she comforted the one that was dying. The warrior died in her arms before she fell in her own pain.

With this wound, she was made to return home. The wound effected her pyshcally, but mentaly as well. Since her return, she was rather closed off from many. Including her family. Days that she healled from such a harsh wound, she would sit in their living room, looking out the window at the children playing and the street perfomers amusing people. Around this time, she noticed more of her brethern from the Spire wear Plate. Something that only Warriors at the time wore. This greatly confused the woman. This motivated her to get up from her chair and silent living. Even with the past pains, she dressed in a travel outfit before leaving the home to the spire. Speaking with the Priest there, as chilled as her voice was, she convinced them to allow her to become a Paladin. Knowing full well how rare it was for women to wear the armor of men. Knowing how hard it would be, she didn't care. After the incident in the War, she felt completely useless.

The woman didn't tell her family of her leave. Thinking it for better, a selfish thought on her part. During intiation, she was dead inside. It was easy to tell by the look in her eyes. She and the few other women were seperated, went to see the Blacksmith for a speical fitting. Unlike most of the women that came to get fitted, she did not once flirt with the Blacksmith. Mal. He became interested in her, wondering why she was so... distant.

During her training, any spare time, she spent with the Blacksmith. He taught her how to smile once more. How to laugh, how to be alive once more. Unfortanatly, due to her training, she was not allowed to be in a relationship. This didn't stop the two. Soon thier friendship became more, sneaking around to hide their love. A classic love affair. After many months, she began to feel sick. Training seemed to be stranouis to her body. All that she thought about was that she was getting sick.  
>Now in this socity, it is rare for the female to produce the off spring to keep their race on living. Though she did not have any issue into getting knocked up by her moonlight relationship. She hid this for as long as she could from both Mal and her trainers. Thinking it was like any other Sin'dori womans, preparing for the worse of misscarring. After a few weeks, Mal and their long time friend, Jai, had to go help in the Outlands. Leaving the woman alone with her small little secret.<p>

After a while, she requested leave from her training. Hiding the fact that she was with child out of Wedlock. Returnin home, she found that her brother was dead. Her sister was in complete shock upon her sisters return. Though regardless of her sisters feelings, she helped her older sister in her condition. Kept it quite about it. Months later, she gave birth, alone with the help of her sister, to a beautiful baby girl, Kalipso.

Just about the time her child was born was when the family friend came back into town. Distraght from the outlands. Baring terriable news in his wake. With this news, she felt her world fall apart. First she found out her brother was dead, then none to sooner did she find the man that gave her hope, that made her live again, was dead. The priest turn paladin felt regret... Regret that she didn't tell him of the child, that she kept it a secret from him, something she was going to suprise when he returned. Make a life of it. Once again, she felt useless. Having Jai living with them, she asked the Troll to watch over her child as she begain her Paladin training once more. She had a family to protect.

Many weeks, she was at graduation. Though she would return home tired and beatten, she would always get things together and work on tailoring to have an income coming in. The woman was proud of her family and she knew they were proud of her for making her way to graduation, even with her little secret. A proof that being in a relationship, having a child, she was still pure. Over looking the horrors of going against their kinds rules and roles. No one was perfect. Evenyone knew this as they stood in armor before the Leader of this new arms.

During the speech, the sounds of warning spread through out the city, calling to arms the Warrior, the Archers, and every able body person that was there. Pulling to arms, she and many others of the class waited at the final wall. Though before making her way to it, she stopped by her home, telling her family to get be safe. Looking to Jai, she smiled. "Take care of my child. You are her God-Father now Jai... Keep her safe." That was the last she spoke to them before running to her post at the gates.

Gate after gate fell till they reached the inner city. Holding their gounds as the smell of rot, sweat, and blood filled the roads of their humble roads. The smell made her stomach turn as the moved with the rest of them, locking blades with a Death Knight as the scourge pressed forward. The woman was not going to allow these creatures to ruin her city and kill her family.

The battle with the undead felt like it took forever. Clashing sword and shield to bone and rust. Hearing whispers from the others around her and screams of death. The one that was watching her back fell in the struggle, the fighting seemed endless till something...

A scream of agonizing pain screeked out of the woman.

Cold, frosted steel swang threw the air, catching her shoulder near her lightly tanned neck. Slicing it's menecing way down into her chest. Breaking flesh, musle, and bone to render the womans body limp. Horror filled her eyes. Blood spattered across the ground as her hands loosen to drop her sword and shield. Falling to her knees in pain, she soon fell into darkness.

"Raise her as a Knight." Someones cold voice filled the void of the darkness. "We will use her, gift her." A cold bark broke through to join another.

It was...cold. Feeling her spirit being pulled from her body and locked away. The feeling of horror filled her. Though soon, everything seemed to be... forgotten. She was nothing more then a puppet in the fingres of the Lich King. One of many in the vast army. Her memories locked away, her spirt pulled away. Nothing left but a shell to start anew.

Gasping out in torment, the woman moved her arm up and slowly began to raise. The wound that killed her, now slowly mended in the plauge that brought her people their doom. Opening her eyes, they were cold, emotionless, lost. Unlike her natural Emerald Green, they now swirled a beautiful, yet chilled Blue. A swirl of light purple mixed in her eyes at what hidden powers where locked away. Her... ghoulish powers. However, she would not be able to unlock these powers just yet. Just turning into this being, she could only do as much as her life before permited.

What rested left of her humainty was habits that will follow her into this life. Her maternal instincts, her bad habits of nibbling on her bottom lips, and an odd sense of regret that she would never be able to place the reason behind it.

And so, the seage to the Well continued... As did her training, once again. But this time... as a Death Knight.


End file.
